I'd suggest trying confining his ears so they can't be continually shaken breaking open the bleeding edges.
You can tape the ears over the top of the head to each other, you can tape them under the chin, you can try a snood like you can see here
http://www.handsnpaws.com/product/PCMACCSNOOD/Dog_Snood_for_Long_Earred_Dogs.html
I would also suggest checking the ear edges for mites as the ear edge is one location you sometimes see mange mites
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_sarcoptic_mange.html
and if that is not it consider seeing a veterinary dermatologist for more help
https://www.acvd.org/ use the find dermatologist tab.
They can check into ear edge dermatitis type issues
http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2004&PID=8602&O=Generic
Hope this helps you!
For thunder phobia you might try melatonin
http://www.melatonin.com/melatonin-animals.php
You may need to use a lampshade type collar along with the snood or tape to keep him from removing the protection for the ears.
You can also tape the snood on right around the head. Use vet wrap so you can peel it off without pulling his fur.
When I tape ears together across the top of the head I typically use cloth type adhesive tape and Iclean the ears first so there is little oil on them which would allow the tape to slip.
If he has continual itching you might try Benadryl.
If he has tremoring you might want to check into a seizure issue. Sometimes those can be triggered by a low thyroid or other health issue. You can read about seizures here
http://www.canine-epilepsy.net/basics/basics_index.html
and the type would be focal or partial.
And it may be worth the trip to the specialist to resolve this.
Dog Expert:Rescue, Train,Breed,Care
30+ yrs dog home vet care & nursing, rescue, behavior&training, responsible show breeding, genetics
No tremoring or scratching/biting from itches - I guess we'll stick with the liquid bandage but add back the head-sock and lampshade - maybe the combo of all 3 will work, at least in the short-term. He probably does have some kind of mild neurological problem but we can't pay for expensive tests and treatments. I'll ask our vet about getting the least-expensive meds to try reducing the number of daily body shakes. Thank you for your help.
~Karan
Meant to tell you that cropping is likely to have the same issues - he'd just be bleeding along the cut edge from head shaking.
As cash flow is an issue, check with your local humane society to see if there is local low cost vet care, ask your vet if you can do time payments or here are some groups that might help you afford the vet bills:American Animal Hospital Associationhttp://www.aahahelpingpets.org/" Through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund, veterinary care is possible for sick or injured pets even if they have been abandoned or if their owner is experiencing financial hardship."Angels 4 Animalshttp://www.angels4animals.org/"Our services range from financial aid to complete treatmentto those pets and pet owners in need."Care Credit If you qualify this may work well for you.http://www.carecredit.com/A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care."With a comprehensive range of plan options, fortreatment or procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a planand a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost everybudget." They have a zero interest program if you pay within a certain time frame and they list the vets who work with their product.God's Creatures Ministryhttp://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html"This fund helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help."Help-A-Pethttp://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html http://www.help-a-pet.org/"Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and theworking poor."IMOMhttp://www.imom.org/"We are dedicated to insure that nocompanion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretakeris financially challenged."The Pet Fundhttp://thepetfund.com/"The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association thatprovides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who needurgent veterinary care."United Animal Nationshttp://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html"The m ission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescuedanimals suffering from life-threatening conditions that requirespecific and immediate emergency veterinary care. We strive to serveGood Samaritans and rescue groups who take in sick or injuredanimals. In certain cases, LifeLine can also assist senior citizensand low-income families pay for immediate emergency veterinary care." They also keep a list of local and national help resources herehttp://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=163
More groups here http://www.speakingforspot.com/helppayingforveterinarycare.html